Reel for fence wire, etc.

ABSTRACT

A winding reel support and drive apparatus disposed on a trailer type frame for the placement and retrieval of fence wire and the like. Powered drive apparatus rotates the reel at selected or regulated speeds with a brake system being provided for further control of said reel. Level wind apparatus is used for distributing wire across the reel. Individual reels are removable, and additional reels may be selectively mounted on a drive and support axle for use.

United States Patent Stum 51 Mar. 21, 1972 [541 REEL FOR FENCE WIRE, ETC. 2,652,630 9/1953 Niland ..242/86.7 x [72] Inventor: y R. Stum, Town, Colo. 81080 2,839,257 6/1958 Chicane ..242/86.5

22 Filed; 5, 1970 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Assistant ExaminerGregory A. Walters [21] PP' N -I 16,753 Attorney-C. B. Messenger 52 us. 01 ..242/86.7, 242/868 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int.Cl ..B65h 75/40 A winding reel support and drive apparatus disposed on a [58] Field of Search ..242/86.5, 86.63, 86.64, 86.7, trailer type frame for the placement and retrieval of fence wire 242/36,}; and the like. Powered drive apparatus rotates the reel at selected or regulated speeds with a brake system being pro- [56] References Cited vided for further control of said reel. Level wind apparatus is used for distributing wire across the reel. individual reels are UNITED STATES PATENTS removable, and additional reels may be selectively mounted on a drive and support axle for use. 1,483,332 2/1924 Byler ..242/86.8 1,086,225 2/1914 Ruby ..242/86.8 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I4 I I 124 22 "a;

I 4/ M /49 I l 46 28 ll 25 33 I6 5/ 26 w 7 #454:- 5

I E=== O i 1 32 4a 52 1 1 27 ,l 1 62 3,65OAS2 PATENTEDHARZ] 1972 INVENTOR. LINLY R. STUM ATTORNEY REEL FOR FENCE WIRE, ETC.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Though fences have always been an important item in farming operations, the character and use of fences has substantially changed in recent years. At present less permanent fencing is used. Removable fences are now used extensively, since electric wire fences and the like may be economically installed and removed. Fencing is now erected for relatively short use periods when stock is to be grazed in selected fields. Since fences are now installed and removed on arather regular basis, it is imperative that proper equipment be provided to facilitate such installation, reuse and removal. The present fence wire reeling system is provided for beneficial use in connection with this new type of fencing operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ble for use at different sites, a plurality of winding drums are to V be provided for separate and selective use with the drum supporting and drive components of the apparatus. Variable speed drives, hydraulic brake controls and level winding apparatus are provided to improve the utility and usefulness of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing features of a first embodiment ofthe invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of said embodiment, and

F IG. 4 is a partial elevation illustrating an alternate drum braking and drive system.

\ DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. Here the fence wire reel mechanism 11 is provided with a base support frame 12 to which is attached a trailer type axle 13 and support wheels 14. A hitch 16 is provided at a forward end so the reel mechanism may be moved through fields and along roadways by various types of powered or tractor equipment. A drum or reel supporting super-structure 17 provides a base for pillow block or similar bearings 18 in which a drum drive shaft 19 rotates. Separate drive sprockets 21 and 22 are disposed on the opposite ends of the drive shaft 19. These drive sprockets 21 and 22 are of different size with the sprocket 21 being smaller and having fewer teeth than the sprocket 22.

Drive chains 23 and 24 are provided for alternate useage and only one of said chains will be connected to the power source at any time. A reel 25 having a tubular drum 26 and end flanges 27 and 28 is disposed on the drive shaft 19 and is selectively keyed or otherwise fastened thereto as by pins 29. When the shaft 19 is rotated, the drum 25 will be rotated. The power system for rotating the reel 25 is provided by an engine 31 that is mounted on the frame 12 in position in front of the drum 25. The engine 31, which may be of an internal combustion type, is connected by a drive chain 32 to the input pinion 33 of a differential type drive 34. Sprockets 36 and 37 are engaged by the chain 32 for power transmission purposes. A V-belt and variable speed pulley type of drive may alternately be provided. Input rotation of the pinion 33 rotates a ring gear within differential housing 34 to rotate the laterally disposed axle shafts 41 and 42. A conventional automotive or truck rear axle or differential is used so that hydraulic brakes 43 and 44 will be provided ata low total cost. Since the drive,

however, is to be delivered alternately to either the axle 41 or to the axle 42, a true differential action is not required or desirable. Accordingly, where conventional differentials are to be used the side or spider gears are locked so that both axles will be rotated in a same direction whenever the pinion 33 is driven. With this arrangement both brakes 43 and 44 are operative to slow the axles and drive system when the brakes are applied. A master brake cylinder 46 is provided with an operator handle 47 so that brake power can be applied by the lines 48 and 49 to stop rotation of the drive axles 41-42 and, accordingly, to arrest or control rotation of the drum shaft 19 and reel 25.

The described mechanism is used to retrieve or dispense fence wire. The wire may be either of a barbed or a simple conductor type. When used with either type of wire, the unit may be moved along a fence line to dispense or retrieve the wire or the reel 11 may be parked at one end of a proposed fence with the wire being pulled therefrom, or the drive components may be used to reel in a wire that has been taken off of its supporting posts.

The drive sprockets 21-22 of different size may be used for separate purposes. Ordinarily the larger sprocket will provide a set drum speed when a minimum amount of wire is on the drum. When the effective diameter of the drum has been increased by multiple layers of wire already reeved thereupon, the drive chain may then be connected to the larger sprocket so that the rotating speed of the shaft 19 is effectively reduced. In order to provide closer control of the drum speeds that are to be used, V-belt drives and variable speed pulleys may be used at the drive connection between the engine 31 and pinion 33, or between the axles and drum sprockets 41-21 or 42-22. These alternate drives are shown in FIG. 4.

In field useage of the reel mechanism 11, it is desirable to provide some means for distributing the wire across the width of the reel 25. A level wind mechanism is, accordingly, provided that includes a distributor yoke 51 mounted on a pivot shaft 52. At the forward end of the reel mechanism 11 an operator handle 53 is moved to alternate positions to change the placement of the yoke 51. The wire being reeved is, of course, passed between the forks of the yoke 51 so the wire may be disposed evenlyacross the width of the reel 25.

A storage box 61 is provided on the frame 12 for the reception and storage of fence posts. A platform 62 may be provided above the frame 12 where an operator may stand to conveniently control the brake lever 47 or the level wind operator handle 53.

A modified embodiment is illustrated in part at FIG. 4. In this illustration a V-belt type drive 71 is used between the engine 31 and differential 34. The belt operates between the variable speed pulleys 72 and 73 so that the input speed to the cross drive or differential 34 may be changed. A second variable speed system is provided interconnecting the axle 41 and the drum shaft 19. Here the belt 74 extends between variable speed pulleys 76 and 77 to control the speed of rotation of the reel 25. Where adequate power is available, as where a gear reducer type motor is used, the engine 31 can be turned sideways as shown by the dotted line representation for direct connection to the variable speed drive pulley 76. For this alternate type of drive or on other installations, it may then be worthwhile to provide a brake system that is independent of the drive mechanism. A disk brake assembly is shown in FIG. 4 with disk 78 attached directly to the drum shaft 19 for the control thereof. Shaft 19 is slowed or stopped by operation of the caliper type brake unit 79. Preferably the entire brake assembly should be removable from the shaft 19 so that the shaft itself can be removed from the center of a drum 25 so that auxiliary drums or reels may be mounted on shaft 19 for use. For this type of installation the shaft 19 will be keyed, splined or otherwise locked to the drum when in the assembled relationship. A pin or collar 29 as shown in the previous embodiment may be used for this purpose. A brake of this type that is mounted directly on the drum shaft has a special advantage, since the drum is often used as a free wheeling element when wire stored on the reel 25 is to be redistributed. At such times the reel mechanism 11 may be towed along the field, and the wire will then be paid out. In order to prevent overrunning of the reel, the brake can be applied to slow or stop the drum.

1 claim:

1. A winding reel unit adapted to be towed behind a motive power source for the placement and retrieval of fence wire and the like comprising a support frame, wheels on said frame providing mobility for said unit, means for attaching the frame of said unit to a motive power source whereby the unit may be moved to various work stations, reel mounting means providing rotational support for winding reels disposed thereon, a winding reel for selective disposition on said mounting means, a plurality of reel drives for selectively rotating said reel at different speeds to compensate for changing operative diameters as fence wire is placed or retrieved, a drive component providing a power source to said unit, means for selectively interconnecting said power source and at least one of said reel drives whereby the reel will be rotated under power for wire retrieval and placement operations, and separate brakes associated with each of said reel drives and useable independently of said drive component power source, all of said brakes being operative with any of said reel drives for control of the rotation of said reel.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reel drives are inclusive of gear reduction means and axles extending outwardly to the opposite lateral ends of said winding reel, and further comprising a resilient drive element for selective interconnection between an end of said reel and one of said axles.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gear reduction, axles and brake components are provided by a conventional automotive type rear axledifferential, and further comprising means for locking said differential so that both axles will be rotated in the same direction when the differential is driven by said power source.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive component power source is a motor mounted on said frame, and further comprising a variable speed drive component intermediate said motor and winding reel. 

1. A winding reel unit adapted to be towed behind a motive power source for the placement and retrieval of fence wire and the like comprising a support frame, wheels on said frame providing mobility for said unit, means for attaching the frame of said unit to a motive power source whereby the unit may be moved to various work stations, reel mounting means providing rotational support for winding reels disposed thereon, a winding reel for selective disposition on said mounting means, a plurality of reel drives for selectively rotating said reel at different speeds to compensate for changing operative diameters as fence wire is placed or retrieved, a drive component providing a power source to said unit, means for selectively interconnecting said power source and at least one of said reel drives whereby the reel will be rotated under power for wire retrieval and placement operations, and separate brakes associated with each of said reel drives and useable independently of said drive component power source, all of said brakes being operative with any of said reel drives for control of the rotation of said reel.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said reel drives are inclusive of gear reduction means and axles extending outwardly to the opposite lateral ends of said winding reel, and further comprising a resilient drive element for selective interconnection between an end of said reel and one of said axles.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gear reduction, axles and brake components are provided by a conventional automotive type rear axle differential, and further comprising means for locking said differential so that both axles will be rotated in the same direction when the differential is driven by said power source.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive component power source is a motor mounted on said frame, and further comprising a variable speed drive component intermediate said motor and winding reel. 